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chad_chad88

Guidance on Kitchen Layout

2 months ago

Hello looking for your thoughts and comments on this kitchen layout. I'm not certain about the cooktop/oven location. I see a lot of kitchens where the range is where the fridge is, but there isn't quite enough room there.



The idea is there are no upper cabinets along the wall. Here is a basic 3D image.





Comments (18)

  • 2 months ago

    One advantage to the fridge where it is, is that it is close to the,people and outside of the work space. So, ifnthe kids need water or ice, or the host is getting drinks, they dont have to walk the the work area.

    Chad Chad thanked auntthelma
  • PRO
    2 months ago

    The layout works pretty well as shown. It might be desirable to have more counter space between range and oven, though. If you built three windows instead of four at the sink, the range could slide away from the oven and the sink would have a window centered on it instead of a mullion (odd numbers of windows are often preferable aesthetically anyway). I'd also consider a prep sink in the island.

  • 2 months ago

    No vent hood?

  • 2 months ago

    What's the purpose of the sink in the "Pantry"? Is it supposed to be a prep sink? If so, it would be much more useful on the island where the refrigerator and range are.

    Is that really a pantry where food is stored? Pantries should be dark, dry, and cool. What I see is the opposite. I see a window that will let in light & heat and a sink that bring in moisture.

    What I can't tell:

    There should be a minimum of 48" b/w the sink and range. When work or landing zones are shared, it should be the largest of the two's minimum + 12" >> the minimum for the sink is 36", so add 12" for range landing zone + 36" for sink work zone = 48" I will say, though, that I think 42" is probably enough b/c there is plenty of landing space on the other side of the range. I would not go any less, though.


    Do you really need two DWs? I'm asking b/c it's not pleasant working over a working DW or having to get out of the way if someone is trying to load/unload the DW (especially if it's one glass or dish at a time!). Ideally, there should be no DW in the middle of the Prep Zone.

    Where is your Prep Zone? In that space b/w the sink and range. If you had a sink in the island, you could have a Prep Zone there and others would likely not get in your way while you're working. The island is also nice & close to the refrigerator. Where is the trash pullout? Usually it's right next to the sink on the Prep Zone side (i.e., non-DW side), but you have a 2nd DW there. Is it b/w the DW and range? It's the best location given your constraint forced by the the 2nd DW.


    Do you plan to have a range hood over the range? Not an Over the Range (OTR) MW, a true range hood. With no uppers, it should be at least 6" wider than the range and 24"D.


    Where do you plan to put a MW, assuming you want one? The island might be a good place.


    I would leave the refrigerator on that wall but move it so the counter is on the left and the refrigerator is on the right (next to the Pantry door), but make sure the doors stick out past any surrounding walls, counters, or cabinets.


    Regarding the sink - I would move it to the right a bit. If the windows are as you show, it's likely you will be staring at the center stile when working at the sink instead of out a window. Is that what you want? It would be better centered on the window to the right of where it is now. Or, switch to a set of 3 windows instead of 4 and then centering would be OK.


    Be very careful about your aisles. They are not measured properly. Aisles are measured to/from the items that stick out into them the farthest - counter overhangs, appliance handles, etc. In your case,

    The aisle b/w the island and refrigerator is measured incorrectly - it's likely 5 or 6 inches or so narrower than you think.

    If the range overlaps the island, the same comment - in this case the aisle is around 2.5 to 3" narrower than you think it is.

    Additionally, given that all three work zones on are along the one wall, that aisle should be at least 48" wide, if not wider. You have two DWs - that usually means a large family. A large family usually means more than one person working in the Kitchen at the same time (prepping a meal, cleaning up, cooking/baking, getting a snack, etc.) In that case the minimumrecommended aisle is 48". Your aisle is 43" to 46" (depending on whether the range overlaps the island).


    Seating overhang - the minimum for counter-height seating is 15". Some say 12", but that's not correct. (I think it's a holdover from when most island/peninsula seating was bar-height at the end of the last century. 12" is the minimum for bar-height Unfortunately, I think many designers and Contractors have not adjusted to the lower counters and the need for 15", not 12".)


    What's the plan for a 4' deep island? 1.5" overhang + 24"D cabinets + 1" decorative door or end panel + 15" seating overhang = 41.5" Do you plan to have 6"D cabinets under the seating overhang? Note that deep cabinets will not work under a seating overhang b/c you have to get under the seating overhang to access the cabinets. Go no deeper than 12" or so. You want to be able to easily reach the full depth of the cabinets while reaching under the overhang.

    If you reduce the depth of the island to 42", you could add most of those 6 inches to the aisle b/w the island and sink/range run of cabinets & appliances.

  • PRO
    2 months ago

    I never like to cross infront of a range to go from fridge to sink , are those 2 DWs? Just asking since you only have a DR table for 6 .IMO min walkways are 42" and 48" is for sure better. I like even wider infront of a fridge . I see no hood for the gas range you need one. Stools and DR chairs need space to be used together and I sure hope all the base cabinets are drawers . I

  • 2 months ago

    I see a suggestion that a dishwasher between sink and range could be awkward. 2 comments. 1. Perhaps move that second dishwasher into the pantry. I have my second dishwasher in the pantry and use it for busy days or big parties. 2. My friend has hervtwo dishwashers like yours. One on either side of the sink. She alternates usage. It works well for them.

    Also, I like my sink in the pantry. And I love my big expanse of unbroken counter on the island. I vote no sink on the island. The island will be used for other things besides eating. Dumping groceries, playing board games, wrapping gifts.

  • 2 months ago

    Need a bit more information about some of the choices here and how you plan on using this space.


    How often do you cook? How do you cook (from scratch, or frozen/microwave mostly? mise en place or measure as you go?)? How many people are you cooking for? How many cooks are usually in the kitchen?


    For me, I would not want this layout. It seems like the sink & DW are the star, and the cooking is an afterthought. Two dishwashers would be a hard no for me - you already don't have enough cabinets and the extra dishwasher takes up more. So why 2? Do you have a huge family that you cook for daily? Do you entertain large groups weekly? Or are you inefficient about emptying the dishwasher and think that having two will solve that problem for you (no judgment)? I cook almost every night for 3. We fill up the dishwasher, run it at night, and empty it in the morning (plates & silverware do not take up that much space - it's the prep and cooking stuff - and that wouldn't increase just feeding more people). We had to train ourselves to do this, but once we developed the habit it has worked really well. Only when we have large parties a few times a year would a second DW come in handy.


    I also would want a sink on the island. Right now, it's not a very useful part of your kitchen work zone. Sure, you CAN use it, but the space between the sink & range is where efficient prep would happen. The island would be secondary prep. If you really want to prep on the island, you can, but prep is MUCH more efficient adjacent to a sink, so I would want a sink there. Your island is large at 10x4. A sink doesn't take up that much space. In our house, we don't play board games on the island (hard to do that all lined up in a row anyway). I don't wrap gifts on the island (really only do that at Xmas and a sink on a 10' island wouldn't impede that, even if I did want to use that space). A sink also doesn't impede unloading groceries (that's where I put my groceries - the sink is not even close). Maybe a sink on a small island would be an issue, but not in this case. We use the island for eating when our dining table is too messy, and for perching. And for carving pumpkins, this week. I guess YMMV.


    If this were my kitchen, I would center the range on the back wall and flank it with windows, then put the sink on the island. Prep sink maybe, with a cleanup sink in the pantry?


    If you don't cook often, or cook mostly prepared meals, then function of your kitchen doesn't matter as much, and maybe the aesthetics matter more to you. So then, what you need is different from what I need.


    Also, 5 seats on an island especially with waterfall sides will be tight, so you will want smaller stools. We have a 10' island and can only fit 4 stools (ours are larger and swivel - if we had smaller stools we could probably squeeze in 5 but getting in/out would still be tough). We don't have a waterfall but have support walls, which are a bit thicker than a waterfall would be. Not sure how much that matters.


    From personal experience, you will want more than a 4' aisle on the fridge side if you are not doing a built in fridge. Our aisle is 4' to the fridge handle and I wish it were bigger. Another foot would be so amazing. Yours will be smaller than 4', possibly even 3.5', depending on your fridge. Consider pulling the adjacent cabinets forward to make your fridge look built-in, then giving the aisle a bit more space.

  • 2 months ago

    Thank you so much for all the comments. I will reply once I read through them all :)

  • 2 months ago

    You didn’t ask about this, but I would have the door to the office be on the hallway side. That way you can center the built ins in the dining area and the office would be quieter/ more provide for calls and thinking.

  • 2 months ago

    Seems I can't reply to individual responses?


    @RappArchitecture @Buehl - Windows above sink, will change to one larger picture window so not staring at a window frame, thank you!


    @RappArchitecture - What do you mean by the range could slide away from the oven?

    @shirlpp @Buehl - Yes regular range hood, not OTR MW, just not showing in that image.


    @lmckuin - Yes I actually caught that the other day. If you center the build-ins, what goes on the sides? Or do you make the entire wall built-ins? I had left it as it was and was going to turn the previous door jut out into a closet for the office.



  • 2 months ago

    @Buehl thanks for your thoughtful response. Wish I could reply to your comment directly. But here are some responses:


    - Re Pantry - Sink I dont know cleanup if busy party or something? Have to ask my wife, seems out of place for prep. Food, yes, but hadn't though about heat and moisture as a problem.


    - Distance from sink to range is just over 48’, and then on other side to corner/wall it is ~3’2”.


    - Unsure about two DWs wife wants them. I am questioning.

    - Re Prep Area, I'm my current kitchen I (we) prep to the right of the sink as the countertop is 29’ wide between fridge and sink, and then to the left between sink and range is only 18’. We also have an island behind as additional landing area. In new kitchen I'd be able to prep either side of sink depending on if someone else was working at stove side.

    - Re MW, yes, was thinking in island. May pantry also?

    - Re Fridge, we plan to make this a wall of built-ins. Would you still swap the fridge vs. storage side?


    - Re Aisles & Island, noted... So would you think a good choice would be to reduce width of island as you say by 6' to increase space between sink-island, and then either shift fridge away from fridge by 6' also? Or just reduce length of Island by 6-12'?

    - Re Island storage, haven't got to that yet! :)

  • 2 months ago

    Don’t take this the wrong way but it sounds like you aren’t the primary cook in the space and definitely don’t know about clean up. My personal thoughts on this aside seems like your wife should maybe be answering and making this post if she’s the one in the space and using it the most.

  • 2 months ago

    @anj_p here are some resposnes for your great feedback.


    - Cook daily, mostly from scratch using oven, cooktop, airfryer. Cooking for minimum 4 people daily, and kids friends, and guests often. One to three people in the kitchen.


    - Re DW, my wife wants (thinks she wants) two DWs, I have been thinking similar to your comments why we need two. @Buehl also, where would you put the DW if there were only one?


    - Re Island Sink, been questioning this also, wife doesnt want, where would you place the sink what size?


    - Re Range in the Center, the house is in a rural setting and the kitchen sink window provides a wonderful view so that is why we have it like that, but I did consider having it like you say. We do have a wonderful view looking across the island so it would work but I think my wife is set on the way we have the sink now.


    - Re Aisles, see comments in response to @Buehl above.

  • 2 months ago

    @Patricia Colwell Consulting thanks. Re "I never like to cross infront of a range to go from fridge to sink" This is essentially what I'm trying to get my head around. This corner seems bit awkward.


    Do I keep a standalone cooktop there, with pot/pan drawers below? Then move the oven to be in the island (where?), or to right of sink where DW currently is? Pantry?

  • 2 months ago

    You can just reply to questions in one comment. You don’t need to make separate comments to each person. Just as a heads up.

  • 2 months ago

    Since you're postulating the Office door move which I agree with, I would also look at moving the Powder Room. It is along the path to the Great Room, and has a pocket door at that -"Welcome to my home, follow me along this long skinny corridor past the stink." Better to possibly move it by rotating the Pantry/Powder vertically, so you can hide the Powder entrance in a vestibule, and maybe the Pantry access becomes closer to garage. Or, what is in the Utility Room the other direction from Main Entry (deep freezer?), maybe the Powder should go there.

    Often a Houzz OP is only asking about the Kitchen. Two things: a lot of improvements are noticed that can be made but involve more than just the cabinet layout; and things are noticed that more of the house should be commented on for improvements. Some OPs get offended, others are more understanding for a better result to the Kitchen and overall house.

  • PRO
    2 months ago

    The plan shows something in the lower right corner of the kitchen which I assumed to be stacked ovens. It doesn't show in the rendering, so maybe I'm mistaken. If it's not oven(s), what is it?


    Regardless, the 3-10 clearance between sink counter and island is too narrow. I would increase to 4-6 minimum, more if possible, since aisle space is more important than the depth of the island. When you do, "crossing in front of a range to go from fridge to sink" won't be a problem, especially given where the range is located.

  • 2 months ago

    What about putting a second DW in the pantry to only be used as needed? I agree regarding keeping sink in front of window with the view. A nice clear island is ideal. A